Aim

This option provides support to prevent the spread of Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum).

This option helps with the restoration of forests affected by P. ramorum by supporting the work to remove affected trees and carry out subsequent replanting.

Grant support

Grant support consists of a number of standard cost capital items. These are available for work to help prevent the spread of disease and restore affected woodlands. The eligible items are listed below in the table under eligible operations.

Application eligibility criteria

Your application and proposed work must comply with the UK Forestry Standard.

Land ownership

If you are a tenant then a landlord's declaration must be provided with your application. The control of the land must extend for the duration of the proposed contract.

If you are a contractual licensee then the Contractual License must be provided with your application. The control of the land must extend for the duration of the proposed contract.

If you are a crofter you may have to notify the Crofting Commission of your application. See the Crofting Commission website for further details.

Eligible land

Your site must have a Statutory Plant Health Notice served on it that specifically requires the site to be cleared within a defined timescale.

The Restocking – Delivering Diversity and Resilience in Woodlands grant is also available on land within the designated management zone for P. ramorum. This grant will be paid on the affected land within the management zone and any other areas that are required for reasonable access as agreed with your local conservancy office. If you receive the grant for Restocking – Delivering Diversity and Resilience in Woodlands then you are not eligible for the Woodland Improvement Grant – Restructuring Regeneration grant.

We will only approve your application if you agree to replant any area of woodland that you clear.

Other eligibility criteria

You must be or have a Forestry Commission Scotland approved agent to qualify for the Agent Services capital items. This is our current list of approved agents.

If you need to fell trees that are not included in the Statutory Plant Health Notice area, such as for access or adjacent areas, you must get an approved felling licence or Forest Plan amendment before you start to fell.

Each option within your application must meet the threshold score to be considered for approval. In achieving the threshold score, your option must score against each criterion except for additional benefit.

The scores will then be used as the basis for allocating funding on a competitive basis through the Forestry Grant Scheme clearing process.

Delivery of option benefits

1 POINT – for applications that meet the eligibility requirements but do not deliver any of the benefits detailed below.

3 POINTS – for applications that provide one or more of the following in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements:

applications for the management of woodlands affected by (P. ramorum) which are located within either P. ramorum risk zone 2 or 3. Refer to the P. ramorum risks zones in the 'Plant Health' folder of the Forestry Commission Scotland Map Viewer to confirm your application meets this requirement

5 POINTS – for applications that meet the three-point criteria above and the criteria below:

applications for the management of woodlands affected by P. ramorum which are located in 'P.ramorum risk zone 3'

Supplementary point – additional benefit

1 POINT – will be awarded, as an additional point, where:

applications for woodlands affected by P. ramorum clearly demonstrate a commitment to remove the infected trees before the next period of sporulation (dispersal of the spores from the needles) begins

How to claim

The grant for Tree Health is based on a number of capital grant operations. Please refer to the capital grant operations minimum specification guidance to find out what supporting documentation and maps you need to supply with your capital claim.

You should only submit a claim once you have satisfactorily completed the work. We may inspect the capital grant operations you are claiming to ensure that the work has been carried out to the correct specification.

You must claim your capital items on the Forestry Grant Scheme manual Standard Costs Capital Items claim form, which is available on the claims and payments page.